The clue:
He keeps scratching his nose or ears.
“When a man is afraid of being caught in a lie, his heart rate often accelerates and blood rushes to his nose, ears, and forehead, creating an itchy, tingly sensation,” Hogan says.
Your move:
To get the truth out of him, put on your friendliest face. Then frame your questions in a way that sounds like you’re being curious rather than accusatory, says Leslie Seppinni, Psy.D., a licensed marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles.
A fibber will rarely plot out the minutiae of his story, so if you listen long enough he may get tripped up in his convoluted tale and spill the beans.
Body Language
Actions speak louder than words.
The way your man reacts physically to a confrontation will illustrate clearly whether they are covering something up or not. There are a number of physical gestures and mannerisms that may differ from the norm that will betray a person’s words. So long as they differ from your man’s normal reactions, you should make a note of them.
They may include:
- Crossed arms
- Legs crossed when sitting
- Rapid eye movements
- Constant fidgeting
- Rubbing eye
- Eyes focused to the right (indicates they are using the creative side of the brain)
- Playing with hair
- Tugging ear
- Touching face, such as lips, mouth, and nose
- Holding an object, or gripping a knee or arm or ankle while seated
- Looking upwards
- Language and expressions don’t match what is being said
- Tapping feet
- Drumming fingers
- Constant scratching
Although some may tell you that a lack of eye contact is a dead giveaway of a liar, many people have been conditioned to look people in the eye in order to psych-out their opponents.
Behavior and Attitudes:
You may notice a change in their behavior and attitude in a confrontation. Again, the key is in identifying differences. You may notice changes such as:
- Being hesitant
- Smugness
- Nervous laughter
- Uncommon sense of calmness
- Inconsistencies in their story
- Providing more information and specifics than are necessary